"In Search of the Heroes": The Cost of Freedom--William Barret Travis

Letter to a Son

The last letter Travis wrote to the world outside the Alamo was a letter to his son. This boy had recently arrived in Texas from Alabama and was staying with friends. It was written to David Ayers on a scrap of paper, and is one of the famous messages from the Alamo. Here is the text of the letter.

Take care of my little boy. If the country should be saved, I may make him a splendid fortune; but if the country should be lost, and I should perish, he will have nothing but the proud recollection that he is the son of a man who died for his country.

Letter to Your Son--Have the students write the letter they would compose to a son (or daughter) if they were in Travis' place. This is a good time to discuss patriotism and what it means to sacrifice for your country. There are also issues about parent-child relationships--feelings parents have for children, and feelings children have for parents.
Relatives Who Died in War--In any class, some of the students may have stories of relatives who were killed in wars. Class members can be asked to share these stories on a voluntary basis. A teacher should be sensitive to the feelings of individual students about this type of information, and not press too hard for details.